desktop

1 of 2

noun

desk·​top ˈdesk-ˌtäp 

1

: the top surface of a desk

also : an area or window on a computer screen in which icons are arranged in a manner analogous to objects on top of a desk

2

: a desktop computer

desktop

2 of 2

adjective

: of a size that can be conveniently used on a desk or table

desktop computers

compare laptop see also desktop publishing

Examples of desktop in a Sentence

Noun

The desktop was covered with books and stacks of papers.

He created a new folder on his desktop.

Adjective

She is working on a desktop video project.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Just behind the Dell desktop in my grandfather’s living room, behind the cracking pleather of our office chair, there was a bookcase. —Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026

More than 70% of digital purchases in Latin America are now made on smartphones, with younger consumers often skipping desktop experiences entirely. —Ilona Limonta-Volkova, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026

Adjective

Mobile chips struggled under sustained workloads, display standards were fragmented, and running desktop-grade software on a phone felt more like a workaround than an organic solution. —New Atlas, 23 Jan. 2026

For organizations evaluating desktop agents, the security calculus differs from traditional software. —Janakiram Msv, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1925, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1958, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing desktop

• desktop publishing

Rhymes for desktop

• atop
• backdrop
• backstop
• bebop
• blacktop
• bookshop
• clatsop
• eavesdrop
• estop
• hardtop
• hilltop
• laptop

Kids Definition

desktop

1 of 2 noun

desk·​top ˈdesk-ˌtäp 

1

a

: the top of a desk

b

: an area on a computer screen in which items are arranged as if on top of a desk

2

: a desktop computer

desktop

2 of 2 adjective

: of a size that is suitable for use on a desk or table

a desktop computer